What Is A Pipeline Optical Cable?

What is a pipeline optical cable?

Pipeline optical cables provide a highly protected environment for optical cables. Pipes are usually buried directly, and then the optical cables are blown, sprayed, pulled or pushed into the pipes. After the installation of the pipeline optical cable, it can be well protected by the pipeline, featuring high safety performance, large bandwidth, light weight, flexibility, water resistance, temperature resistance and anti-electromagnetic interference. For different construction sites, it can be non-armored optical cables, armored optical cables, and micro air-blown optical cables.

Application
Pipeline optical cables are mainly laid in pipelines and are widely used in long-distance communication, inter-office communication, metropolitan area networks (MAN), access networks, FTTH networks, backbone networks and other fields.

Installation method
Generally speaking, there are two methods for installing optical cables into pipelines: the traction method and the air-blowing method.

Traction method
The traction method refers to the laying of optical cables into pre-installed underground pipelines through manual traction or traction machines. In this method, the optical cable is pulled through the pipe by means of the ropes pre-installed inside the pipe. In the connection network where underground pipelines are not continuous for more than 200 to 300 meters, the traction method is usually the preferred choice. In this case, optical cables need to be coiled and stored at each available manhole/handhole every 200 to 300 meters. Therefore, using the pull method to install optical cables into pipes is suitable for short-distance applications.

Air-blowing method
A blowing method that utilizes high-speed airflow combined with additional mechanical thrust. This method includes high-speed blowing and push/pull (piston) blowing. The basic principle is to inject compressed air into the pipeline, and then it flows at high speed through the pipeline and along the optical cable. Air-blowing installation can be used for central bundles, strand bundles, unarmored and armored optical cables, as well as micro-tube optical cables. This method is applicable to continuous lengths of over 1,000 meters.

Conclusion
Pipeline optical cables offer flexible, durable and optimal protection for optical cables, and provide opportunities for future expansion of optical cables. In addition, pipelines and optical cables make the city look neater.